VWC had to beat the defending champion Patriots twice Sunday and did just that, following up a 5-2 victory earlier in the day with the decisive win to make the best-of-three series against St. John Fisher. The two teams play at 1:00 and 3:30 p.m. Monday, with an “if necessary” game set for 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The Marlins fell to UTT 4-1 in the first round of the tournament Thursday before storming back with four straight wins to make the finals, improving to 52-3 on the season. The Patriots had their season ended at 46-6.

The contest had plenty of drama as VWC managed to escape a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth inning while clinging to a 5-3 lead. UTT opened the sixth with a single by KK Stevens and double by Whitney Romero to put runners on second and third before Hanna Hull took over in the pitching circle.

Hull got out of trouble with a fly out, strikeout and pop-out and then closed the game in the seventh with an easy pop up and two more strikeouts to earn her fourth save of the season.

Courtney Wright got her second pitching win of the day over UTT. She went the distance in the first game before throwing five innings in the second, allowing five hits and three runs.

The Marlins scored all five of their runs in the second, all coming with two out.

Beth Ford’s bases-loaded walk forced across the first run and two more scored on an outfield error by UTT before Glaubke made it 5-0 when she laced a two-run single through the left side.

It stayed that way until the fifth when the Patriots pushed across all three of their runs. Kaylee Prather had a two-run single to get UTT on the board and the speedy senior later scored the third one on a passed ball.